Method of communicating between a utility and its customer locations

A method for communicating between an electrical utility and individual customer locations comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing each individual customer location with an advanced utility meter, the advanced utility meter comprising means for two-way communication with each individual customer and storage means for storing data;
• and
• (b) using each individual utility meter to communicate between the utility and the advanced utility meter, between the advanced utility meter and multiple pieces of individual customers and between the advanced utility meter and equipment located at each individual customer location;
• wherein electrical usage data from individual pieces of equipment located at each individual customer location is communicated to the advanced utility meter;
• wherein each advanced utility meter communicates instructions to one or more electrical usage controllers located at the individual customer location;
• wherein each advanced utility meter communicates upgrades and maintenance directives to communications software, monitoring software, storage software or controller software located at each individual customer location;
• and
• wherein each advanced utility meter communicates usage, billing and cost data between the utility and each customer location.

A system for communicating between a utility and individual customer locations, the system comprising:

• (a) individual input and output portals disposed at each individual customer location;
• (b) a data center aggregator for gathering data from each individual customer location and for retransmission to the utility, and for disseminating data and instructions from the utility to each customer location;
• (c) a data management system for sorting data from the data center aggregator, for transmitting data to individual back office systems within the utility and for transmitting data and instructions from individual back office systems to each individual customer location;
• and
• (d) means for communicating between the utility, the data center aggregator, the data management system and the input and output portals disposed at individual customer locations.